Lakers schedule is out, and season predictions are in

The Lakers' 2010-11 schedule is out. Now let's take a look at it through our nifty pair of crystal-ball glasses ...

Oct. 25: Ron Artest is a lot more likely to be a distraction to the Lakers in his second season than in his feeling-it-out first season. Certain people are more dangerous when more comfortable. As he receives his first NBA championship ring before the opener, will Artest reprise his hilarious howl to reporters after winning the title by yelling, "Acknowledge me!" at the ring-bearing man who once suspended him for 73 consecutive games? Will he be moved to tears in front of David Stern?

Nah, Artest will just smile that innocent-eyed smile of an awestruck little boy during the ring ceremony – but then get outplayed in a far more motivated Trevor Ariza in a game the Lakers win only because Andrew Bynum outplays Yao Ming to kick off Bynum's first All-Star season.

Nov. 11: The opener against Houston is actually the Lakers' toughest of their first eight games. The ninth game is this one at Denver, which will be the Lakers' first loss. Denver and Dallas – not the masses' assumption Oklahoma City – will be the greatest threat to the Lakers in the Western Conference.

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant will lead the league in scoring and is widely favored to be the next NBA MVP, but Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki are much further along in their developments and will have better teams – with Orlando's Dwight Howard an even better under-the-radar MVP candidate. Kobe Bryant's development and team, though, will get him his second league MVP trophy after LeBron James and Dwyane Wade split the credit in Miami.

Dec. 10: The Lakers start their first extended trip of the season in Chicago. Even though Carlos Boozer is a loser, the Bulls are going to ride Derrick Rose's great leap forward. The truth is that the East has gotten better and better in recent years – but check out the rest of this Lakers' trip after Chicago: New Jersey, Washington, Indiana, Philadelphia, Toronto. There are more weaklings in the East besides those, which is why a regular-season victory projection such as Jeff Van Gundy's that the Heat will win more than 72 games is completely realistic – if James and Wade stay healthy. Note: Wade is "Flash" also in the sense that he has been missing for 15 regular-season games on average in his seven years in the league.

Dec. 25: The Christmas showdown with the Heat is the Lakers' only game in a six-day span. The Lakers will be fired up, locked in and hand Miami one of its rare losses. What the Lakers have on the Heat is superior defense – especially in the paint – but recognize that Miami's guys will all defend better with less offensive burden, and Pat Riley and protégé Erik Spoelstra do fully understand defense.

Spoelstra was shrewd enough last season to acknowledge that the Lakers' quiet killer of opponents: their ability to defend without fouling. In his breakdown of the Lakers' defense, Spoelstra said: "There's a reason why they don't foul. They funnel everything into the paint, and they do a great job of contesting shots with their length. That's probably 15 feet of wingspan right there at the rim."

In Miami's paint, Joel Anthony is actually a very good defender, and Udonis Haslem is even better despite his lack of height. You might not know that Chris Bosh, James and Wade each blocked at least a shot a game last season, too. You almost certainly didn't know that the Heat already ranked second only to Orlando last season in NBA field-goal defense, and that wasn't merely Miami's commitment to playing halfcourt games.

Jan. 30: New Celtic Shaquille O'Neal will return to Staples Center to face and lose to the Lakers. Boston won't be back for the NBA Finals with everything but Rajon Rondo worse than before. O'Neal joining the Celtics at least did give us some summer giggles via Miami Herald columnist Dan Le Batard's Twitter account.

Feb. 6: The Lakers will be stuck in Memphis on Super Bowl Sunday. Pau Gasol will evict brother Marc from the place Pau still owns and Marc lives in rent-free – I guess it's the least Pau can do given Marc's role in Pau's trade to the Lakers – and throw a big-time big-game bash for all Lakers teammates and staffers. The best bonding always comes when a team is on the road, and this seven-gamer will be the trip for the Lakers to get tight and right leading into the All-Star break.

However, the Lakers won't win in Orlando on Feb. 13. Howard will be more base animal and less anthropomorphic dog (read: Goofy) this season. Because of that, Orlando will be more than an afterthought to its in-state rival in the East.

March 14: A rematch against Orlando begins a stretch of 11 of the final 15 regular-season games being at Staples Center, reminiscent of the Lakers' home-heavy start to last season. Being at home down the stretch will ensure the Lakers the postseason momentum Phil Jackson wants more than anything but health.

By the time this regular season ends in Sacramento on April 13, where will the Lakers really be? They will have learned to play great for the internal satisfaction of playing great, something they never did master even in the past two championship seasons.

They will be 68-14. Tied for the fourth-best record in NBA history. One victory shy of being tied for second-best ever.

Enough to make Miami play underdog in what will be one captivating June.